Chapter 10 Let's Stay Here And Watch

"What's going on? Is there anything wrong?" Noah asked, surfacing from the dark corner behind Robert. His worried eyes followed Mandy as she resolutely made her way to a table.

Robert turned a little toward Noah to give him a wry smile, though he kept his eyes on Mandy, as well. "Nothing to worry about. Let's just stay here and watch the show."

--

Mandy made a beeline straight to the woman sitting at the table, who was currently engaged in some boasting conversation with her companions.

"You have no idea how glamorous I was..." the woman was saying, completely unmindful as Mandy came up behind her. Mandy discreetly elbowed the woman's chair and gave a theatrical gasp, pretending the collision was accidental, as the woman lurched forward at the impact. The woman angrily whipped around at the rude interruption.

She looked up to see an unfamiliar woman holding a glass of wine, grimacing in mock apology behind her.

"Uh, Andy? Do you know her?" one of her friends leaned over to ask her, sensing the tension in the air.

Mandy glanced down at Andy's face and feigned surprise. "Oh, it's you! Remember me? We met last night at the barbeque stall,"

Mandy exclaimed with a fake smile, placing her hand daintily to her chest.

Andy frowned, feeling a tinge of worry. None of her companions at the table were aware of what happened last night. The last thing she needed was this strange woman cluing them in.

"What are you talking about? Who the hell are you?" Andy demanded irritably. Mandy felt smug as the other woman started to lose poise.

"Oh, don't you remember? I didn't get the chance to thank you for what you did yesterday! I scored some drinks with the handsome manager because of that. It's a good thing I ran into you today," Mandy said, fluttering her lashes innocently, as she casually swirled the amber wine in her glass.

Andy slit her eyes at Mandy warily. "I don't know what you're talking about. You must have the wrong person," she sneered, as she tried to turn her back.

Mandy was expecting as much.

She scoffed playfully. "Oh, don't be so modest. I know it was you! If you hadn't framed the waiter last night, why would the manager show up in that stall?"

Mandy stared back coolly as a red-faced Andy whipped around to glare at her as if willing her to shut her mouth.

"Oh?

I'm sorry. Was I mistaken to think that? My friend and I thought it was a clever move." Mandy beamed down at Andy as Andy's face grew more and more scarlet in frustration.

"And here we thought you were doing it out of good will. But based on your reaction, I guess we were wrong. If it wasn't to call the manager out, were you just making things difficult for that poor waiter?" Mandy clicked her tongue and shook her head in mock disbelief.

All the people at the table had grown deadly silent, listening in on the conversation. Andy was furious. She had been in full control of the situation until this bitch came along.

Andy's face was starting to turn purple. She gritted her teeth as she stared daggers at Mandy.

"Shut up!" she hissed. How dare this woman embarrass her in front of her friends? She would show her!

But before Andy could talk, Mandy continued. "But I suppose I should still thank you. After you left all dejected last night, the general manager treated us all to drinks. On the house! That wouldn't have happened without your efforts. So. Cheers!"

Mandy raised her glass playfully to Andy and took a sip. Andy's vision was starting to turn dark as she glared at a smirking Mandy. She was about ready to tear her into pieces.

All this while, Robert watched the proceedings in amusement, noting how Andy's face had gone pale, then red, then purple. He chuckled and picked his glass, slowly taking a sip as he continued watching the women with a deep sense of satisfaction.

"Miss Mandy is really quite something, huh?" Noah chortled, shaking his head, impressed at how she had undone Andy so quickly with just a few words.

Andy, meanwhile, has finally had it. She met Mandy's eyes fixedly and started to stand up. She had had enough of this low-key ridicule.

But before she could say more, Mandy beat her to the punch. "I'm sure you also remember the security camera caught everything at the stall yesterday. I guess you better be on your best behavior with them from now on if you don't want that getting out."

She smiled sweetly at Andy. Andy trembled in fury. She felt her friend start to tug at her arm, pleading with her to stay calm. But she couldn't care less now.

"Who the hell are you and what the hell are you talking about?!" Andy burst out.

Mandy let out a loud sigh, fixing Andy with a pitiful stare. She didn't expect this woman would be so thick-skinned.

Mandy shot a glance at where Robert was sitting before turning back to Andy. She smiled a slow, lazy smile, then opened her mouth to speak.

"Mandy? Are you quite done?"

A bored-sounding voice interrupted behind her.

Mandy turned to see Robert approaching. Though he cut a cold and distant figure, it just added to his dark charisma. No wonder that man snapped him up as his boyfriend.

What a pity such a catch was only interested in men.

Alas, it truly was an unfair world.

Mandy, however, stubbornly held out hopes Robert could still be persuaded to swing the other way, one day. She silently vowed to make it her mission.

Mandy turned back to look at Andy. Her face had frozen in horror when she saw Robert.

Robert, however, just glanced down at Andy with an indifferent expression as soon as he came up.

"Good seeing you here, Miss Andy. Regarding the security camera footage from last night, we'll be sending it your way. After all, it's your reputation on the line. We don't want to cause any trouble to our customers," he told her, coolly.

Andy was at a complete loss for words as she slumped back down to her seat.

----

Mandy erupted into peals of laughter as soon as they stepped out of the bar. She doubled over wheezing, holding on to the wall for support.

"Did you see her face?! It was hilarious!" Mandy loathed vain, obnoxious people like Andy the most.

It truly brought joy to her to see those kinds of people get their comeuppance.

Mandy straightened up and let out a happy sigh. She stretched out her arms above her and arched her back sleekly, craning her neck and closing her eyes in contentment.

Robert's heart beat faster as he watched her quietly.

Mandy was indeed a beautiful woman, with her small face and delicate features. She had that gentle oriental beauty, her eyes colored so deep one could drown in them.

But with her fiery personality, she was just enthrallingly unpredictable.

Robert lost track of himself, unable to stop staring at Mandy.